Microsoft quietly drops Copilot+ branding from new laptops

What happened

Microsoft launched the Copilot+ brand in 2024 to differentiate its offerings with local AI capabilities from other devices that do not have NPUs or fail to meet the minimum 40+ TOPS requirement. Microsoft Surface CVP Brett Ostrum confirmed this to Windows Central in an interview on the sidelines of Snapdragon Summit 2026.

Microsoft's latest Surface laptops dropped the Copilot+ PC branding despite hitting the minimum requirements. Even high-end AI devices like the Nvidia RTX Spark and Microsoft's own Project Zenith are noticeably missing the label.

But a little over two years after the disastrous launch and poor sales , the company has quietly moved away from the brand. Even other devices that would’ve been eligible under the branding, including the upcoming Nvidia RTX Spark N1X and Microsoft’s own Project Zenith , are missing the Copilot+ badges.